Socket terminal

ABSTRACT

A socket terminal for releasably receiving a pin and comprising a channel-shaped contact portion for receiving the pin between the channel sides and normally through an aperture in the channel base, the aperture extending throughout the channel width and being elongated lengthwise of the channel; a wire connecting section being formed at an end of the channel-shaped portion, tongues extending integrally from opposite ends of the aperture for engaging diametrically opposite first side portions of the pin, side portions of the channel being arranged to engage diametrically opposite second side portions of the pin orthogonally arranged with respect to the first side portions. The socket terminals are particularly useful when assembled in cluster blocks of the kind used in connecting through the hermetically sealed enclosures of refrigerator motors where they may be subject to vibration and adverse atmospheric environment but must satisfy stringent reliability requirements.

United States Patent [191 Teagno et al.

[ 1 Aug. 14, 1973 1 SOCKET TERMINAL [30] Foreign Application PriorityData Apr. 27, 1971 Italy 23731 M71 [52] US. Cl 339/256 R, 339/65,339/217 S [51] Int. Cl H011 11/22 [58] Field of Search 339/19, 217, 276F,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1971 Lundergan et a1.339/258 P 8/1965 Keller 339/217 S 3,336,567 8/1967 Coldren 339/192 R3,271,729 9/1966 Bakker et a1. 339/217 S FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS93,843 V 4/1969 France 339/217 5 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Mele et al.,Straight-Through Connector IBM Tech. Disclosure, 4-1971.

Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-Robert A. I-IaferAttorney-William J. Keating, Jay L. Seitchik et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A socket terminal for releasably receiving a pin andcomprising a channel-shaped contact portion for receiving the pinbetween the channel sides and normally through an aperture in thechannel base, the aperture extending throughout the channel width andbeing elongated lengthwise of the channel; a wire connecting sectionbeing formed at an end of the channel-shaped portion, tongues extendingintegrally from opposite ends of the aperture for engaging diametricallyopposite first side portions of the pin, side portions of the channelbeing arranged to engage diametrically opposite second side portions ofthe pin orthogonally arranged with respect to the first side portions.

The socket terminals are particularly useful when assembled in clusterblocks of the kind used in connecting through the hermetically sealedenclosures of refrigerator motors where they may be subject to vibrationand adverse atmospheric environment but must satisfy stringentreliability requirements.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 14, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 vPatented Aug. 14, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 I: *1 r%\ fllvnm F SOCKETTERMINAL This invention relates to socket terminals and is particularlyconcerned with a receptacle for use in a cluster block of the kind usedin connecting through the hermetically sealed enclosures of refrigeratormotors. A connector of this type has been fully described in U.S. Pat.No. 3,271,729.

In use such receptacles are subject to vibration and, often, to adverseatmospheric environment. There are stringent reliability requirementsand difficulty has been experienced in meeting these requirements inpractice. It is important that the receptacles are securely retainedwithin their housings, and yet can readily be removed for inspection orreplacement. It is important that a connector is securely retained onits complementary pins in use to avoid inadvertant removal undervibration or other operating conditions and also that it can readily beengaged with its complementary pins.

There have been numerous improvements in contact receptacles andhousings in an attempt to meet the stringent requirements and it is anobject of this invention to present a further improved socket terminal.

A socket terminal for releasably receiving a pin according to thepresent invention comprises a channelshaped contact portion forreceiving the pin between the channel sides and normally through anaperture in the channel base, the aperture extending throughout thechannel width and being elongated lengthwise of the channel; a wireconnecting section being formed at an end of the channel-shaped portion,tongues extending integrally from opposite ends of the aperture forengaging diametrically opposite first side portions of the pin, sideportions of the channel being arranged to engage diametrically oppositesecond side portions of the pin orthogonally arranged with respect tothe first side portions.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with referenceto the accompanying partly diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary partly sectional exploded perspective view of apin and socket assembly;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the FIG. 1 assembly with thehousing in section;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the FIG. 1 assembly with thehousing in section;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a socket terminal of theFIG. 1 assembly in engagementwith a pin; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a complete connector assembly accordingto the invention.

The assembly of FIG. 5 comprises a unitary plastics moulding ofslab-like form having three parallel passageways communicating withrespective pin apertures. The pin apertures are disposed at one side ofthe block in triangular array. Each passageway contains a contact socketfor engaging a pin received through the aperture, the contact beingsecured to a conductor wire and the wires of all of the contactsextending from a common end of the housing.

FIG. 1 shows one of the socket terminals 1 of the FIG. 5 assembly in itspassageway 2 of the housing 3. The socket terminal 1 comprises achannel-shaped contact portion 4 integrally formed at one end with wirecrimp and insulation support sections 5 and 6 secured respectively tothe stripped end and insulation of a conductor wire 7. The channel baseis formed with an aperture 8 registering with a pin aperture 9, FIG. 3,formed in the housing wall, the aperture 8 extending from side to sideof the channel and being elongated lengthwise of the channel. Theaperture 8 ext-ends into the channel sides at side apertures 10 whichhave forward and rearward sides converging towards the ends of aperture8. The side apertures 10 are bridged by channel side portions 11, distalfrom the base, and longer than the base aperture 8.

Integral tongues 12 project inwardly from opposite ends of the aperturesand at their free ends have lips 13 turned up between the channel sides.As seen in plan view in FIG. 2, the lips 13 are arcuately formed forembracing a circular section pin 14 and define parts of circular profileaxially aligned with and of lesser diameter than pin aperture 9.

The channel side portions 11 bridging the side apertures 10 are eachformed centrally with arcuate inwardly facing concavities 15, as seen inplan view, for embracing the pin 14 in resilient manner. The concavities15 thus define in relaxed condition parts of a circle of lesser diameterthan that of pin 14 and axially aligned with the pin aperture 9.Theconcavities 15 are disposed on a side of the channel base remote fromthe housing aperture for the pin 14 and are spaced from the lips 12axially of the pin 14. Also the concavities 15 are arranged to engagediametrically opposite portions of the pin 8 orthogonal to diametricallyopposite pin portions engaged by the lips 13.

The tongues 12 define short cantilever springs compared with longerbeams defined by the side portions 11 so that the tongues 12 are stifferand may exert substantially greater contact pressure. They are also, byvirtue of the turned up lips, more resistant to withdrawal than toinsertion of the pin 14.

The channel sides at their free edges remote from the base, are eachprovided with a pair of ears 16, one at each end of the channel sectionand projecting away from the base. The cars 16 serve to guide thecontact within the housing passageway 2 by slidably engaging the wallopposite that formed with pin aperture 9. They also serve to stand thechannel side portions 11 away from the wall.

The cars 16 at the channel end distal from the wire connecting section5,6 serve to latch the socket within the housing. The housing is formedat the forward end of the passageway adjacent the wall formed with thepin aperture 9, with a pair of stops 17 which limit forward insertion ofthe socket into the passageway. Rearwardly of stops l7, and at theopposite wall is a pair of further stops 18 one at each side of thepassageway 2. The stops 18 are formed with forward shoulder surfaces 19facing the forward stops l7, and rear ramplike surfaces 20 inclinedrearwardly and outwardly.

On insertion of the socket contact into a passageway, from the right, asseen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the leading ears 16 engage the ramp surfaces 20and are cammed inwards by flexure of the channel sides. When the leadingears 16 pass the shoulder surfaces 19 they spring outwards to engage theshoulders 119 to resist contact withdrawal. Forward ends of the channelsides engage the stops 17 to resist further forward movement.

We claim:

1. A socket terminal for releasably receiving a pin and comprising achannel-shaped contact portion for receiving the pin between the channelsides and normally through an aperture in the chanel base, the apertureextending throughout the channel width and into the channel sideportions, a wire connecting section being formed at an end of thechannel-shaped portion, tongues extending integrally from opposite sidesof the aperture for engaging diametrically opposite first side portionsof the pin, side portions of the channel being arranged to engagediametrically opposite second side portions of the pin orthogonallyarranged with respect to the first side portions, the channel sideportions being spaced axially of the pin from the tongues of the channelbase, said tongues arranged to exert a relatively high contact pressureon the pin and said side base.

I t i i

1. A socket terminal for releasably receiving a pin and comprising achannel-shaped contact portion for receiving the pin between the channelsides and normally through an aperture in the chanel base, the apertureextending throughout the channel width and into the channel sideportions, a wire connecting section being formed at an end of thechannel-shaped portion, tongues extending integrally from opposite sidesof the aperture for engaging diametrically opposite first side portionsof the pin, side portions of the channel being arranged to engagediametrically opposite second side portions of the pin orthogonallyarranged with respect to the first side portions, the channel sideportions being spaced axially of the pin from the tongues of the channelbase, said tongues arranged to exert a relatively high contact pressureon the pin and said side portions being arranged to exert a generallylow contact pressure on the pin.
 2. A socket terminal as claimed inclaim 1, in which free ends of the tongues are turned up between thechannel sides and are arcuately formed for embracing a circular sectionpin.
 3. A socket terminal as claimed in claim 1, in which free edges ofthe channel sides remote from the channel base are each formed with apair of ears, one ear on each side of the aperture and projecting awayfrom the base.